by Jamie Magee
“You know what, Crass. It’s clear to me that you have an epidemic. If you want a new barter I’m willing to listen.”
“A new one?”
“Yes, the one we have is set. King has been released to the boundaries of my kingdom. I bring you souls and you forget where King is.” She paused, making it seem as if she were in deep thought. “Set King free from his boundaries and I will become your hunter.”
Crass hesitated then laughed hard, as if that were the most absurd thing he had ever heard.
“Right,” Reveca said as she nodded to Cashton, saying that they were leaving.
“We’re not done,” Crass said as his men blocked their path.
“Yes, we are,” Reveca said, turning to him. “I barter fairly. This list is ridiculous. It will send me hunting near constantly and when I return to my home I will have to face a prisoner in my care who we both know lingers in the worst of moods. Free him from his boundaries and then I will have peace in my home.”
“You take me for a fool?”
“Never.”
“I already told you that his sovereign is well aware that something is up with King, something unprecedented. And now you want me to free King? So he can try to man up to his sovereign? And once his sovereign ends his tantrum, Revelin will come back to me? He will see where King has been when he shreds his soul, and he will destroy my people, my kingdom. Simply to calm his mood.”
“Once again, your imagination is vast. I see no fight in King. He just wants to roam, and he should be able to.”
“Why?”
“A caged beast will die in time. That’s what he is now. His boundaries are too narrow, and in time he will be gone. And when he is, so will be our barter that is now in place.”
“Clever.”
“Truth.”
Reveca slowly looked over the list once more. “You release him to life and I will bring one soul before the end of the new moon.”
“You will bring them all.”
“Impossible, and you know it.”
“I also know that when you free a caged beast he will run, and though he is still under my claim and will be forevermore, the farther he is from me, the harder it will be for me to rein him in.”
“It sounds to me like he has nowhere to go, not if there is trouble with this Revelin character.”
“Then why ask for his boundaries to be lifted?”
“He is depleted, Crass, inches from asunder. Roaming to him would not be far, but far enough to make him think he has freedom. Give us both peace so we can deal with infestation.” Reveca said as she nodded to the list where another name had just appeared. “One from the list by the new moon and the promise that I will hunt them all in time.”
“In time,” Crass said with disgust. “You’re immortal, you have no sense of time.”
“Those are my terms.”
A pissed, played looked came across Crass’s expression. “You listen to me. You walked in here with nothing to offer but high demands. You’re not getting the upper hand on this one.”
“I walked in here with the souls to fill our barter. You are the one that is seeking a hunter.”
“And I am already aware that you and I have enemies of the same ilk. Each of these names stem from Newberry, a soul you had no trouble bringing me. You act as if this list is of no consequence to you and I know otherwise. If anything, I’m offering you a place to dispose of these souls. Which means you are in debt to me and in no position to barter in the first place.”
Reveca glanced at the names on the list, ones that stuck out like a blinding light, because Crass was right. They were her enemies. They were souls that she was already at war against in some way.
“I don’t need a place to dispose of these souls. The Unclaimed is surely waiting for them.”
“To hide. Those souls in the Unclaimed are in debt to me and other Lords, and they hide in your Edge like the cowards they are until they have no choice but to pay their debts.”
“Your point? You’re still asking me to disrupt balance and bring you specific souls on a barter that has been set and vowed to. You want this deal, you release King’s boundaries and I will send you one soul from that list within in this new moon, and proceed forward to the best of my ability from that juncture.”
Crass didn’t say a word. For a long moment he looked Reveca over, examined Cashton, and even glanced to his men. Then he leaned forward and stared at her.
“You listen to me. This is the final and only counter you will ever hear from me. Four. Four, because I know you have at least as many in your sights as of now. You will send four in as many moonrises and I will release King’s boundaries to the mortal dimensions, to all of death, but not The Realm, not in the grasp of his Sovereign. If he so much as thinks of going to that level, I will pull him back into my care never to be seen again. This is the start. You will commit to this list and if I find your gap between these first four and the reminder of the souls is too great, I will pull King back for the hell of it.” He paused, checking his words, his demands, then went on. “And if the four are not in my keep before the last moon rises, King will return to me indefinitely.”
“Three,” Reveca said, without batting an eye.
Crass laughed, shook his head then pulled in a deep breath as he appraised her. “You are incurably stubborn.”
“And busy, Crass. Three.”
“Three in as many moonrises, and if you fail I get you and King.”
Cashton went tense at Reveca’s side, clearly not wanting her to make this deal. Crass glanced to him and smirked, feeling confident that in this barter he was not walking away short like he did last time.
“Vow it,” Reveca said evenly.
Crass let a slow sick smile come to him. “Is it awful of me that I hope you fail? It would be wonderful to keep your company daily.”
“Vow or I leave.”
“So vowed,” Crass said.
Reveca didn’t let one expression come to her as she prowled forward. Crass’s stare moved all over her, not in a defensive way but in a seductive one.
When she reached his throne she pulled a stone from it, one that was just large enough to fit in the palm of her hand.
“Wanting to keep me with you, I see,” Crass said, as his eyes moved down her neck.
“I don’t have time for long boat rides, not to bring three measly souls to you. This is a foothold. They will be delivered to your throne as asked.”
“I said you were to bring them.”
“No, you didn’t. You said delivered.” When rage came to Crass’s expression, Reveca grinned. “I know you wish to see me and you will.” She stepped back and nodded to the other crates of souls. “Your list will surely lead me to more of these souls. When I have collected enough I will bring them myself, abide by our first barter.”
Crass only stared at her in response, clearly admiring her skill, her power, all of her.
“Do not let your memory slip, Crass,” Reveca warned. “One barter of ours extends from another.”
“You are warning me?” he asked, with a lifted brow.
“I never give a warning before I strike, Crass. I’m stating the facts. Each barter we have for the souls you want stems from King. You forgetting where he is and his boundaries. If this God that you entertained today or anyone else discovers King because of your weak memory, I have no reason to fulfill this. You will have backed away from your half of the bargain.”
Crass tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. “I surely hope you trust King. For if he rises to The Realm I will pull him back, and you will still hold true to your barter. I’ll let you wave and smile at him as you bring the souls.”
“I’m glad we understand each other,” Reveca said with small smile, then turned to leave.
“Let them pass,” Crass said to his men. “And you keep your eyes to yourself,” he said to another. “Certainly the man with her has thought of a hundred ways to destroy you. Respect his claim or answer to me.”
The same man that Cashton had scorned earlier lowered his head.
Cashton glared as they passed and he put his arm around Reveca’s waist once more.
That’s why Reveca wanted him there. As a shield. Those men in the care of Crass saw women as property and nothing more. Unquestionably, Crass did too, but he saw value in Reveca as well.
Three moonrises. That’s how long she had to entrap as many souls. If not, this was going to be her new home. A hell. No matter what though, King would be free. That was her goal, and that’s what she met.
Chapter Two
Not a word was spoken between Cashton and Reveca as they made their way out of the cave and then boarded the large vessel that Erio had captained to Crass. Even aboard they didn’t speak. Reveca was in deep thought recounting the barter, ensuring she had not let a loophole go unnoticed for Crass to take advantage of. She was sure she hadn’t.
She was also plotting, matching her paranormal battles with her mortal ones. Searching for a way to find these three souls and send them all at once to Crass before his deadline, and at the same time free King from her Boneyard. It had to be precise. This deal, this engagement in the war before them, would distract her boys.
Even though Reveca and Talon were going through the shit he’d stirred up, the boys would listen to his orders; ones that they felt were spoken for the Club’s protection. They’d ensure King remained at the Boneyard. And when they did so, all of Reveca’s efforts would have been in vain. She had to find a way around them.
It was when they were back in their fishing boat, when Cashton was gently rowing through the Edge to its borders and with the sunrise at his back that he decided to say something, pull Reveca from the plots she was confident were rock solid.
“Zale’s name was on the list.” He spoke quietly even though he was sure they were alone with the dead, and Zale was not lurking in the distance.
Reveca glanced to him then back to the sunrise behind him, the beauty of it, the energy she felt coming from it.
“It was the first name on the list, Reveca.”
“I’m aware.”
Cashton clenched his jaw as he rowed. “He began this hell.”
“I knew that long before I saw Crass. We all did. Zale admitted as much.”
“How are you going to bring him down and set King free at the same time?”
“I have plans.”
“Plans that have plotted your way around the impossible?” he asked in a disbelieving tone.
“I liked you better when you were the positive one of the group.”
“You need him,” Cashton said assertively, speaking of King.
“I need no man. I haven’t in all this time.” She looked at him. “I need energy. I needed camaraderie. I needed a family, and that is what I have.”
“It’s not the same, and you know it. The energy King gives you is of your soul. You can’t find that power anywhere else. You could find a sensation that mimics it, but it’s not the same and by now you definitely know that.”
Reveca looked back to him. “I’m not dependent on anyone.”
“Do you think I’m telling you that you are? That you’re weak without him?”
“Sure as hell sounded like it.”
“I meant the pair of you. Setting him free, what does that do? He will not gain the power you want him to without you. He needs you as much as you need him. You empower each other because you are one. That’s what you are going to need to face all of this.”
She glanced down then up at him. “You don’t understand, Cashton. He had power, great power, and made strides with it. The Helco faction he leads was held back because they were still feeding and gaining power the same way their sovereign was. Now they know different.”
“And now King is aware of you.”
“Therein lies the problem,” she admitted.
Cashton halted rowing and just let the boat glide with the current as his stare questioned her.
“He’s aware of me. Now he’s distracted. You never distract a man before battle. It’s a bad omen.” She paused for a second then went on. “This curse he fought before will be gone. His armies will grow in strength and when you rise, whenever that is, your victory will be promised.” She let her gaze drop. “If he is not aware of me he will not be distracted. There will be nothing for him to fear losing. He’s already met death, not once but twice. Men with nothing to lose are the ones who fight with a clear mind.”
Cashton was shaking his head slowly side to side the entire time she spoke. “Listen to me, Windsome said to set him free from the boundaries Crass had, not you.” He sighed. “She spoke of it as if it would be something that would cleanse, an awakening, a test.”
“And it is.”
“Not what I mean. The pair of you have doubt.”
“We don’t have doubt, we know who we are and we know we have wars to fight.”
Cashton looked away, and then glanced back to Reveca. “Then I assume that Zale will be one of the three.”
“Never assume anything, Cashton. I taught you better than that.”
“Reveca, were you not listening in that room with Crass? Zale started this and when his sister stopped him by going into the pages he reached out for more Lords. He’s going to end up starting a war within the ranks of the dead. His knowledge makes him dangerous. He’s growing in power and no matter what, when you take him down for good you are going to need King. Which means you are taking down Zale while King is still here.”
“I was listening. I always listen. I heard you tell me that Windsome said someone from our coven, who could reach the depths, would ease all worry.”
“You think that’s him?” Cashton asked with a shake of his head, clearly believing that be the furthest thing from the truth.
When Reveca didn’t argue he went on. “Hypothetically, what happens when you get through the list—which is only going to grow no matter how many souls you claim—and Zale is the only one left? What happens down the road when Crass demands Zale’s soul come to him, or he pulls King back to him—or worse you?”
“I’ll deal with it. If Windsome is right, by then Zale would have surely stopped it all.”
“He’s not stopping anything, and you’re a fool if you think so.”
Reveca squinted her eyes as if his words had slapped her across the face. “I have limited time to solve more than one issue. I’m moving forward until I see a reason to stop. The three that I will bring to Crass will lift burdens from me. They will earn King’s freedom. I see nothing that is faulty with this plan.”
“Your lack of emotion is.”
“My lack of?” Reveca snapped. “I have had about all the emotion I can contend with just now.”
“This is a suicide mission, at least by the end it will be. You know it.”
Reveca let out a slow breath. “True love, twin flames, soul mates…whatever you want to call it, is suicide. It’s the only thing that souls are willing to perish for.”
“This is your ‘let go’ speech again,” Cashton said darkly, hating how stubborn and blind she was to all of this.
“I’m not planning on losing my battles, or the war, Cashton. I plan to set the wrong right and I will, one way or another. The more you argue with me about it the more I know I’m right.”
“And the more you argue with me the more I know I’m right, and that is fine, because I know that you’re going to end up where you belong. How hard you make that path on yourself is up to you.”
“Right,” she said, closing her eyes and leaning back, taking in the sun, the sound of nature all around her.
When they reached the bank at GranDee’s, Reveca made her way to where she had asked the ground to hold Holden’s bike. She could see that the mud was bulging, the land was clearly over holding on to the spell for her.
She beckoned the bike up with a thought, and slowly it rose. The muddy earth fell off of it but it was clear to see that the weight of the earth, how far down it had been buried,
left its damage on the bike.
“What are you doing?” Cashton asked, now even more worried about Reveca’s plots and plans.
She was searching the saddlebags for something. Apparently she didn’t find it, or maybe she did. She pulled out a knife from one of them and cut away a sliver of the leather from the seat.
“I think it’s destroyed enough,” Cashton said with a furrowed brow.
Reveca ignored him again and went to the bank and cleaned the strip she had taken. She knelt there for a while.
Thinking that was her church, that maybe she was letting some of his words sink in, Cashton stepped out of the dense brush around the bank, closer to the clearing. As he did so, Cashton searched the horizon, feeling the scorn of angry glares landing on him.
The Sons, all those in the life, were parked in the distance just before GranDee’s property. He couldn’t figure out why they were not coming closer. Then he glanced all around.
“Did you block the river?” he asked as he stepped into the dense brush with Reveca once again.
“I did,” Reveca said, as if it were not a big deal.
“Fuck,” Cashton said under his breath. There was no doubt that when they didn’t return in time to leave last night, the Sons tried to sail anyway and couldn’t reach the river. They surely came here as well and found the same, but knew that this is where he and Reveca would emerge.
They had been sitting there all night expecting the worst, and having every right to. Now feeling those glares, Cashton was sure they were past any fear they may have had and were categorically murderous.
“They’re pissed.”
“We knew they would be,” Reveca said without bothering to look up. “They’re not going to blame you.”
“No, but they’re going to demand that I tell them what I know.”
Reveca stood then. In her hand was a leather bracelet that she had apparently made from the seat.
“And your loyalty to me will hinder you from saying what I do not wish them to know.” She looked down at the bracelet in her hand and said, “So mote it be,” in a whisper.
